Leaving you Behind
by Wah-Keetcha
Summary: Sometimes you can't give your heart.


Title: Leaving you Behind

Rating: T

Summary: You can never give your heart.

Author Note: Uh… yeah. Wrote this a few months back, it was living over on Live Journal, but until my plot bunnies get back from vacation (damn bunnies) I've been reading a lot and writing down some ideas but nothing concrete. I am *trying* to get back to A Dangerous Man but like I said, the creative well is kind of dry, that and my work schedule doesn't help. Sleep till 9 am, work from 3:30 to 12:00 am. I'm going to try and get a chapter out of ADM this weekend. *try* being the word.

This story was meant for the reader to choose the female companion, I tried to make her generic but probably failed. Enjoy!

Fingers move slowly across his flesh, making his nerve endings tingle at their touch. A soft shiver runs through his body as the delicately filed nail moves down the scar on his left shoulder blade, teasing the damaged flesh but the feeling disappearing as the long finger ends on the indention, scar tissue having cut off all feeling long ago. Her warm, soft lips envelop two of the old bullet wounds, heating the marred flesh of a battle wound long healed. He allows her to continue her exploration of his body, knowing the curiosity wouldn't be sedated until the woman mapped every scar on his body. She probes further, tracing his spine with a warm, moist finger. Eliot flinches and twists away, signaling a tender spot on his lower back she should not venture too before twisting around to face her, his bare chest exposed to her prying fingers. Slowly she comes to straddle his lap, wrapping her long legs on either side of his thighs and pushes him gently back to rest on the pillows behind him. Eliot groans and sighs as she works her tongue along one of the many knife scars on his chest, her fingers caressing the massive scar near his navel. She giggles into his neck as he brings a teasing hand up to caress her own back and shoulders, the rough calloused hand making her shiver as she turns to capture his mouth in hers, rocking foreword as he allows her to continue exploring. His eyes close as she withdraws from his mouth and earns a growl as she turns her attention back to mapping the many scars that mark his body. She teases him from time to time, capturing his lower lip with her teeth before returning to her exploration. Eliot growls and sighs, leaning back into the pillows as she moves to the numerous dog bite wounds and indentions of removed flesh of his thighs.

"So many scars Eliot…" she breathes softly, her warm breath teasing him as she moves her way back up to his chest, pausing to inspect a botched branding attempt, the gnarled flesh long since healed showing the gruesome numbers of a cell mate in some backwater country. He grunts in response and allows her to suck deftly on his fingers and knuckles, pausing over the thick hide of a brawler, his hand tingling in response. He strokes her back, his long fingers tangling in her hair as he kisses her down the neck, sucking on the hollow of her collar bone.

"You're going to be in a lot of pain when you get older and slow down Eliot." She states softly, leaning into his touch as he cups her with one steel band like arm and hikes her further up, her bottom coming to rest on his navel, his body curving to suck on her shoulder, his tongue working lower to moisten the skin of her breast. She knows where his mind is headed and refuses to succumb to his desire, knowing it's a ploy to turn the subject away from his body. She moves away from his mouth and shifts to the side, away from his body and smiles at the frustrated growl he utters, his eyes closed tightly. Taking pity on the man she gently messages his scalp, her nails raking across his head gently as he strokes her back slowly.

"What will you do then Eliot? When your body gives out on you and refuses to take any more abuse?" she asks and Eliot's lips part into a smile, his unguarded blue eyes filled with mirth as his southern drawl, more pronounced now then usual informs her gently.

"Then I'd give up my job, find a nice cabin someplace and live out my life in peace." She smiles into his hair, inhaling the scent uniquely Eliot, one of clean soap and honest sweat. Wrapping a hand around his shoulders she slips down onto the pillows beside him, making Eliot twist on his side to watch her.

"That would satisfy you? A life of peace and boredom?" she asks slowly, watching his eyes as the serenity the moment brought to them disappears, replaced with a hard question. She knows she's edging on a thin like here, their relationship is about the 'here and now' not tomorrow or the near future. It was an unspoken agreement between the two of them that they wouldn't look beyond today.

"Where's this coming from?" he asks slowly, his hand tracing the curve of her breast before tapping a rhythm out on her stomach, his eyes dark with question and concern. She smiles slightly at him, wanting to put the scowl developing at ease once more. Eliot doesn't take the bait, his gentle caressing stops and his eyes become troubled. She knows the line has been crossed and there is no turning back and she knows the consequences.

"I was wondering if there would be a place in your life for me… beyond what we have going on here." She says and Eliot tenses, sucking in a breath as his eyes widen for a moment, a look of horror streaking through those eyes like lightning. Suddenly she regrets having said anything at all but it is too late, Eliot's already pulling away from her, getting ready to run. Quickly Eliot pulls away from her, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed they'd shared numerous times. She watches as the mangled flesh of his back tightens, the muscles moving as he breathes and brings his hands up to scrub at his face.

"We both agreed that this isn't something we'd carry through with. It was a deal we made when we started this… now your changing the deal." He breathes softly, the southern drawl hardened. She feels anger boiling in the pit of her stomach at his words and with anger she snarls.

"Is that all this is Eliot? Is this just a business deal?" The defined shoulders tighten as Eliot gathers himself to stand, his back still to her. The sheet slips from his nude form, giving her a full picture of the scars marring his body, the map of a man's soul. She seethes in anger as Eliot wordlessly gathers up his clothing, slipping the boxers and jeans on. She watches as the scars she'd just caressed are hidden behind cotton and denim, much like the man's heart.

"We made this work and it would have continued to work if you didn't start looking into the future." He responds slowly, his hands pulling the shift over his head, the long hair falling over his features. She sits up and stands, her bare feet hitting the hard wood floor.

"Excuse me for thinking we had something, for thinking we'd have a future together with children and a family." She can feel the tears pricking behind her eyes but stubbornly forces them back, not wanting to break down in front of the man.

"It would never have worked; I'm not the settling kind. If this had developed into something like that I'd just end up leaving you behind." He says honestly, his words cutting sharply into her heart.

"I know this is right Eliot. We're meant for each other." She pleads and watches as a sad smile crosses the man's features, his fully dressed figure so guarded and lonesome.

"It's a cruel joke that's been played on you then, because you can't be meant for a renegade like me, it's just not right." He responds and turns, his booted feet making clomping noises across the floor and the door knob squeaking under his hand as he turns it. The darkness of my apartment beyond the door swallows the man, his figure fading into the darkness as his boots go silent. His words echo in her head as she sobs into her blankets, arms curled around the pillow he's just vacated, the warmth of his body soaking into her skin as her tears stain the pillow.

End.


End file.
